How to Treat a Scratched Cornea

One of the most common injuries seen in an ophthalmologist’s office is a scratched cornea, also known as a corneal abrasion.

In my 22 years in ophthalmology, my main specialty was the cornea. I have seen thousands of scratched and lacerated corneas, and almost as many causes of those injuries.

But the treatment of these injuries is typically the same. However, many ophthalmologists forget to tell patients the number one way to allow the cornea to heal much more quickly - keep it moist. Let's take a look at why that's the key.

The Cornea

The cornea gives the eye 70 percent of its focusing power and acts like a window. When the window becomes dirty, it’s difficult to see through it.

The cornea becomes “dirty” when it is dry, injured or edematous (swollen). Corneal scratches, among other things, can cause both edema (swelling) and dryness which exacerbates the injury and clouds the window.

In order to better understand corneal abrasions, we need to know a little about the structure of the cornea. Here’s a crash course in corneal anatomy:

An image showing how dryness affects the eye. The first arrow points to the smooth tear film, coating the cornea properly. The second arrow shows what happens when the tear film is allowed to evaporate. | Source

Corneal Anatomy

The cornea is an amazing cellular matrix. It is protected from the environment by the tear film, eyelid and eyelashes. It is densely packed with nerve endings and has no blood vessels. Despite this, it is the fastest healing part of the body, usually healing itself within 24 hours.

Corneal Layers

The five layers of the cornea. | Source

The cornea is comprised of five layers:

The Epithelium – the first layer of the cornea is very thin and heals very quickly. It does not scar because it is the only part of the body that can actually regenerate.

Bowman’s Membrane – the function of this second layer of the cornea is unclear. It is acellular (meaning it is not made of actual cells, instead it is made up of primarily collagen fibrils. These fibrils create a layer that allows cells to attach to it, so it is assumed that this membrane exists for the epithelium and stroma to attach to it.

The Stroma – the third layer of the cornea and the thickest layer. The stroma gives the cornea its shape and stability. It is usually injured by deep lacerations, although this is rare. The stroma does not regenerate and when injured typically leaves a scar, which results in loss of vision if the scarring is in the visual axis (in front of the pupil).

Descemet’s Membrane – this fourth layer is very elastic because it is made up of type III collagen. If cut, this layer will retract, and it has no regenerative properties. It is the basement layer of epithelial cells to attach to the rest of cornea.

The Endothelium – the last layer of the cornea maintains corneal deturgescence (relative dehydration that maintains corneal clarity) and is comprised of about 500,000 cells. In layman's terms, this layer of the cornea hydrates the rest of the layers, keeping the window clear.

The epithelium, Bowman’s membrane, and the stroma are the three layers most commonly affected by injuries such as corneal scratches, abrasions, and lacerations. Most abrasions, however, only affect the epithelium, meaning these injuries do not typically leave a scar and heal very quickly.

What Causes a Scratched Cornea?

Just about anything can cause a corneal abrasion. But there are several causes of scratched or abraded corneas that we see more often than others. The most common culprits that can cause these injuries are:

Paper

Fingernails (especially those of a newborn)

Mascara Wands

Wire

Tree branches and limbs

Metallic or other foreign bodies

Chemical burns

Many women are victims of the “mascara wand abrasion” as it’s affectionately known. Women putting on mascara in the morning get a little bit to close to the eye and nick the cornea with the mascara wand. This can be a simple abrasion that heals within hours, or it can be a bit more sinister and have mascara embedded in the abrasion, requiring a physician to debride the wound (clean it).

Abrasions caused by tree branches or limbs, metallic foreign bodies, and chemical burns, are the most damaging to the corneal tissue. Some corneal injuries need to be treated right away to prevent scarring and potential blindness including:

Abrasions caused by plants or plant debris can cause a secondary fungal infection, which is very difficult to treat.

Metallic foreign bodies can leave rust rings which need to be removed with a corneal burr (a small drill-like tool) and can leave scar tissue if they are deeply embedded.

Chemical burns can damage many layers of the cornea (not just the epithelium) resulting in scar tissue that distorts the vision. Many chemical burns are caused by a liquid that is an acid, alkali or a base. Contrary to popular belief, an acid does not do as much damage to the cornea as an alkali. The alkali class of chemicals eat through the cornea quickly and can affect other structures in the eye.

Scratched corneas are not only very painful because of the number of nerve endings, but abrasions can also be very disruptive to one’s life. In fact, if left untreated, many corneal abrasions can cause a secondary infection, or even a corneal ulcer, which can leave permanent scarring. Sometimes this scarring can lead to blindness, which can only be reversed with transplant surgery.

Corneal Foreign Body

A corneal foreign body. This is a piece of plant material that flew into a patient's eye while she was mowing the lawn. Used with permission. | Source

People Who Most Commonly Suffer Corneal Abrasions

Some people are more likely to suffer from a scratched cornea or foreign body than others. Many occupations are more prone to ocular injuries of this type, as are some hobbies such as gardening. Some of the people most commonly affected by this type of injury are:

Moms of newborns - infants may hit mom in the eye with their hand, scratching the cornea with their thin, sharp fingernails.

Auto mechanics – working on engines puts mechanics in contact with metal flakes that can become embedded in the cornea and form rust rings.

Gardeners/groundskeepers – it is quite common for sticks to poke a gardener in the eye, or dirt and debris to fly into the eye and embed itself in the cornea.

Clerical and office workers – those who work with paper all day are prone to paper cuts, including paper abrasions on the cornea. I’ve seen patients with paper lacerations down to the stroma.

Janitors – cleaning chemicals can accidentally get into the eyes when they are sprayed, or if the person rubs their eye without washing their hands.

Welders – flash burns are quite common among welders and are considered abrasions because of the damage they do to the epithelium.

Contact Lens Wearers- patients who wear contact lenses are more likely to get things such as lint or other debris under their lens, which can then either abrade the cornea or become embedded in it. Contact lens wearers are also more prone to corneal ulcers which can cause permanent damage and even blindness.

An image of a metallic corneal foreign body in an auto mechanic. Used with permission. | Source

An image of a corneal abrasion caused by a piece of lint or fiber that was trapped under the patient's contact lens. The abrasion is in the shape of the piece of lint. Used with permission. | Source

Symptoms of an Abrasion

The most well-known symptom of a corneal injury is pain, but there are other symptoms as well. The most common symptoms of an injury to the cornea include:

A foreign body sensation, or a feeling of something in the eye

A dry, scratching sensation

Sensitivity to light

Conjunctival injection, or a red eye

Pain when blinking

Tearing

Burning

Itching

Sharp, shooting pain often described as a needle poking the eye

Swollen and red eyelids

If you have any or all of these symptoms, see your ophthalmologist right away.

A Corneal Ulcer

The green colored area in the circle on this patient's cornea is a corneal ulcer caused by contact lens over wear. | Source

What to Expect When You See Your Doctor

When you visit your doctor, you’ll initially be seen by the technician who will check your vision and ask you several questions. Be prepared to answer the following:

What are your symptoms? Do you have the sensation that something is in your eye?

Are you sensitive to light? Is your eye tearing and burning? Is your vision affected?

When did the initial symptoms occur?

How severe are the symptoms on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst?

What were you doing prior to the beginning of the symptoms?

Did you get something in the eye? Were you hit in the eye with anything?

Did you flush the eye if you suspected a chemical or a foreign body got into the eye?

A slit lamp, also known as a biomicroscope or simply a microscope. | Source

After the initial interview with the technician, the doctor will instill an anesthetic to make you more comfortable and then examine your eye by staining it with a yellow dye known as fluorescein and looking at it under a slit lamp (a microscope).

This stain highlights any defects in the epithelium so that the doctor can easily see the abrasion, scratch, laceration or foreign body.

If the doctor suspects a foreign body, but cannot find one, he or she may flip the upper eyelid to see if it is embedded on the underside of the lid. This can be uncomfortable, but is necessary to prevent further injury.

Treating a Scratched Cornea

Scratches and abrasion heal very quickly, usually within 24 to 48 hours, as long as they are superficial and affect only the epithelium.

Most ophthalmologists will put a patient on an antibiotic eye drop to prevent a secondary infection, and tell the patient to keep the eye closed.

Some doctors will put a pressure patch on the eye to prevent blinking; however, a contact lens used as a bandage is more common.

Common Treatments

Bandage Contact Lenses

A contact lens can be placed in the eye and used as a “bandage.” This prevents the lid from sloughing away regenerated epithelium with every blink. It also prevents the excruciating pain associated with abrasions while still allowing the eye to be used.

The contact lens will also absorb the drops put in the eye allowing the antibiotic to stay in the eye longer. This is currently the preferred method of treatment for corneal abrasions.

Pressure Patches

A pressure patch is exactly what it sounds like. A patch is put on the eye in a way that keeps pressure on the eyelid so that it is unable to move. This keeps the lid from sloughing away regenerated tissue as well as keeping the patient comfortable.

Unfortunately, there is the disadvantage of the inability to put drops in the eye because the patch is left in place until removed by the doctor. However, an antibiotic ointment can be instilled prior to patching to help prevent infection.

Pressure patches are not used as frequently today as they have been in the past. Depending on the severity of the abrasion and the patient’s comfort level, a doctor may occasionally choose to use this method.

A residual abrasion seen three days after removing the corneal foreign body from the auto mechanic. Used with permission. | Source

Analgesics

In an effort to control pain, patients are advised to use over-the-counter analgesics to alleviate symptoms. Medications such as Ibuprofen, Aleve and Tylenol can provide some relief.

Narcotic pain relievers are not recommended.

These medications cause the eyes to become dry which can slow the healing process and even lead to corneal ulcers. If you must take a narcotic pain medication such as hydrocodone (Vicodin) or tramadol (Ultram), it is recommended that you use preservative artificial tears at least every 30 minutes to keep the eyes moist and promote healing. You may also want to use an ointment before bed such as Refresh PM.

Artificial Tears

If you do not have a pressure patch, or a bandage contact lens, the only thing that will make the eye feel better is bathing it in artificial tears and keeping the eye closed. Using the artificial tears every 30 to 60 minutes will keep the cornea moist and facilitate healing by protecting regenerated tissue from the lid, as well as nourishing the cornea with moisture.

Artificial tears can speed the healing process, and can be used as frequently as needed, every five minutes if necessary. *Note: if you use tears every 30 minutes or more frequently, it is recommended that you use preservative free tears. | Source

Corneal Foreign Bodies

If you have a corneal foreign body, it will need to be removed. The doctor will anesthetize your eye, and remove the foreign material. If the debris was metallic in nature, the doctor will use a device known as a corneal burr, or Alger brush, to remove any rust ring that may be left behind.

The corneal burr is essentially a drill similar to a Dremel tool that makes removal of residual rust rings much easier. Needles and Q-tips can also be used.

An image of residual rust left behind after the attempted removal of a metallic foreign body by an ER doctor. The FB was left in the eye for about two weeks per the patient before he went to the ER. | Source

Dr. James Kirkconnell Discusses Treatments for Scratched Corneas

What to do if You Think You Have a Corneal Abrasion

If you think you have a scratched cornea or a foreign body in your eye, you need to see your ophthalmologist right away.

DON'T RUB YOUR EYE!!

It's natural to want to try to get something out of your eye, but rubbing it can make things worse. If you have something under your eyelid, rubbing the eye cause the foreign body to scratch the cornea or become embedded in the cornea.

If you already have something embedded in your cornea, rubbing the eye can push the foreign body further into the cornea, making it much more difficult to remove and increasing the risk of scarring.

Blinking several times may be enough to move the debris out of the eye, but if not, the next option is to flush it, preferably with artificial tears or sterile saline solution, but tap water will suffice in a pinch.

If you have gotten a chemical in your eye, you need to flush the eye continuously for at least 15 minutes. If you can, have a friend or loved one call your ophthalmologist while you continue to flush your eye. If no one is around to help you, flush your eye for 15 minutes, and then call your eye doctor.

If left untreated, abrasions can become infected or evolve into corneal ulcers or corneal erosions. Even if you don't think there is something actually in your eye there might be, and you should call your ophthalmologist right away.

It is best to avoid going to the emergency room if at all possible. An ER typically does not have the equipment needed to deal with this kind of injury. It is best to see your ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

If you can't get to your eye doctor right away, keep the eye moist with artificial tears (preferably preservative free) or keep the eye closed to prevent further irritation until you can get to your eye doctor.

Further Reading

This content is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for formal and individualized diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed medical professional. Do not stop or alter your current course of treatment. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.

Questions & Answers

Questions must be on-topic, written with proper grammar usage, and understandable to a wide audience.

Question:

Can I use refresh eye drops while using an antibiotic eye drop also?

Answer:

Yes, and it is highly recommended that you do so. However, it is best to wait about 2 minutes between the drops. For example, if you put in artificial tears (Refresh, Theratears, etc.) wait about 2 minutes before putting in your antibiotic drops, and vice versa. Using artificial tears will help the cornea heal faster and can also help the antibiotic drops absorb more efficiently into the eye.

Comments

No HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites.

sending

Natalie Frank

17 months agofrom Chicago, IL

At a high school pep rally I got hit in the eye with a roll of toilet paper they were tossing around. I was wearing hard contacts at the time and it almost detached my cornea. I was in a patch for a week but my doctor said that the eye is one of the fastest parts of the body to heal depending on the type of injury. Luckily, after that everything was fine though I couldn't wear lenses for a while. You take your eyes for granted until something happens. I know I was plenty worried regardless of what the doctor said until the patch came off. Thanks for a comprehensive and interesting read.

colette love-battista

2 years ago

I am a school nurse. at my school there is an 11yo child who had 3 head injuries (car accident; hockey stick; hockey puck) from August to November. now he has intermittent spontaneous cycloplegia. his teachers have noted it and he has come to me to describe that he sometimes cannot see the board and sometimes cant see to read. most of the time he has no trouble with either. I have been trying to help his mom to get him to the correct doctor. she did take him to an eye doctor who simply said good eye health/cyclopegi refraction. Should he be seen by a neurologist or other field of practice? or should we just leave it without further attention? thanks for any help.

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

2 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

Be sure to keep the eye hydrated. Artificial tears every hour will help the cornea heal much more quickly although the cornea in a child heals super fast anyway. :D

Anubhav

3 years ago

Amazing read! My child today got an injury and the doctor used a Bandage contact lens, to begin with. Just hoping and praying it heals quickly as I can't see her in so much pain.

Kristen Howe

4 years agofrom Northeast Ohio

This is a very useful hub about what to do about your scratched corneas and how to treat it. I never had one before. But this would help others. Voted up!

Glenn Stok

4 years agofrom Long Island, NY

In response your your last reply Melissa, I see with many of my friends that few people know anything about the human body, let alone the eye itself. This surprises me too since our body is our life. One would think people would have more of an interest in understanding it as well as how to take care of it. But they don't seem to care. I enjoy reading up on things like this because I want to know.

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

4 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

Thanks, Glen! I've been fascinated by the eye my entire life. In fact, it's the only thing that has kept my interest for such a long period. It's such an intricate organ. Did you know, the retina is actually brain tissue? Not only does it develop from the diencephalon, which is just below the prosencephalon (forebrain) during gestation, but the retina itself is a series of neuronal connections leading to one major axon, the optic nerve.

Thanks for sharing, Glen! After 19 years as an ophthalmic technician, I'm still surprised at how much people don't know when it comes to the eye. Even simple things that should be common sense are not common knowledge, like why we blink and why we need to blink when reading or using a computer. The more people this article reaches, the better!! :)

Glenn Stok

4 years agofrom Long Island, NY

It's good to know that the outer layer of the cornea, the Epithelium, can heal itself quickly.

I never actually gave this any thought, but I found it interesting that there are no blood vessels in the cornea. This makes sense, though, because it needs to remain clear for vision. Blood vessels would interfere with sight.

The eye is truely an amazing organ. Melissa, your hub has been most informative. I'm tweeting and sharing this since I feel it's important for people to understand their eyes better.

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

@Heather Says, Yikes! I haven't seen a corneal abrasion re-cut in years! They have to be pretty bad for a dr to want to go in and risk further scaring. Poor thing, I'm sure they'll use a bandage contact lens, but if she's in a lot of pain tell her to use plenty of artificial tears, and try to keep the eye closed for the first 2 hours. Let me know how she fairs!

Heather Rode

7 years agofrom Buckeye, Arizona

My sister-in-law recently scratched her cornea and has really been suffering. She's going in to have it re-cut so it will heal properly. Great hub. very informative!

Lesley Charalambides

7 years agofrom New Hampshire

I've never understood why so few people seem to have heard of Maat - like you I am a fan. Just popping over to read your hub on her for more information,

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

@Amaryllis, yes it is the Egyptian Maat. She is my patron Goddess (I have a hub on her) and I chose the name because she is the Goddess of truth and moral integrity. Integrity is the value I cherish the most and I try to convey that integrity in my writing, no matter what I write.

Thank you for your kind comment. Most people are squeamish about the eye. In fact, as I wrote this hub, my hubby was sitting next to me, and would glance over every now and then and he'd get a bit disgusted! lol Interestingly, the only things I really find disgust me are vomit and saliva. :D

Lesley Charalambides

7 years agofrom New Hampshire

This is a fascinating hub, I love hubs that are written by people who are real experts in their field! It's informative, reads well and despite the fact that eyes do make me feel a little squeamish, it's beautifully laid out an illustrated.

One question - why daughter of Maat? Is that Maat as in ancient Egypt?

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

I agree, the extra cash is icing on the cake. I've met some really great people here (you're the perfect example actually) and it is definitely therapeutic. For someone like myself who's used to being in a career, writing gives purpose, it essentially fills the void that's left after leaving a long-term career. At least it did for me... lol

Zulma Burgos-Dudgeon

7 years agofrom United Kingdom

I know what you mean. I still question if I have anything worthwhile that anyone would be interested in. So why do I keep writing? Because it's therapeutic, it keeps me organized and, thanks to online writing sites like HP, I meet some really fun people such as yourself. So if I never make a penny at writing, I'm already richer for the experience. (Cliche, I know. But it's true.)

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

@Phoenix, Thank you, yes, I did! I won forum queen lol. I'm so excited, I've never really won anything in my life! :D It's funny, when I first started writing online, I really wasn't sure I had anything interesting to say, or anything people would want to read, but apparently I am interesting lol. *blush*

I really just like helping people, if I can help one person, I've done my job. I like teaching too :D

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

Thank you Cogerson, and congrats to you as well!

Wow, that's some serious luck right there, getting hit in the eye with cardboard like that lol. I'm so sorry! Did it scar or was it just a superficial scratch? The pain of any type of corneal injury is really intense, one experience with it is enough to make you wear safety glasses 24/7! lol

Thanks for reading and commenting! :D So glad you stopped by! And again congrats on your hubbie awards!

Zulma Burgos-Dudgeon

7 years agofrom United Kingdom

You won a Hubbie? Well done to you. Of course, I'm not really surprised. You've got a real talent for this and you're fun to chat with.

UltimateMovieRankings

7 years agofrom Virginia

First of all...I am very happy to see that you won a 2012 Hubbie Award....second I wanted to say that I enjoyed reading your latest hub...having had the painful experience of scratching my cornea once(a piece of cardboard flew out a grocery store cardboard baler right into my eye)...I can tell you that you have provided some very useful information.

Ouch! This sounds like it would hurt! Great hub, as always. You're the eye queen. :)

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

@whowas Thank you!! You're too kind!!! Yes, that anesthesia is amazing when you've have the incessant feeling of something in the eye. So much so that we have to hide the anesthesia bottle from the patients because they've been stolen in the past. Many patients have come back saying their eye has only gotten worse, and when we look at the eye in the slit lamp,what do we find? A corneal melt, which is exactly what it sounds like and they don't heal as quickly as abrasions do!

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

@Mama Kim If he has to wear the lens 24/7 he suffers from recurrent corneal erosion, or RCE. Most people don't have problems with RCE until the initial abrasion set it off. It could be worse however. RCE can become more than just a nuisance.

You really should tell hubby to keep his eyes away from your hairclips... lol just kidding...

whowas

7 years ago

Wow! That is a truly outstanding hub. Beautifully and clearly written, full of detailed information and yet rendered entirely comprehensible to the lay person.

It is a superb mix of education, information and advice that leaves the reader feeling really satisfied that they have all the information they were looking for.

Your experience, knowledge and expertise shines through in every word. It is also very attractively and clearly laid out. Perfect.

I once scratched the cornea of my right eye whilst texture-painting a puppet head using a method called 'stippling' which involves the use of a sharp stick - ouch! The moment when the ophthalmologist put the anaesthetic drop in my eye was one of the finest moments of my life - the relief! because a scratched cornea can be monstrously painful.

Thanks for a great hub. Voted up and ticked all the way across (apart from funny) and shared.

Sasha Kim

7 years ago

He's going to have to wear the 24/7 lens the rest of his life. Its a soft lens he changes out every month. And he uses artificial tears all the time, he carries a bottle in his pocket. All of this could have been avoided if I hadn't worn an adorable but pointy hair clip :(

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

@Mama Kim Tell your hubby, shame on him... lol Hopefully he learned his lesson! :D It sounds like he might have a case or recurrent corneal erosion, which is typically treated with a 24/7 bandage contact lens. I feel for him, that's really painful and I'm surprised he was able to put up with it for so long! Once he can take the lens out, I'd recommend keeping artificial tears by the bed, and putting some in upon waking so that when he blinks the surface is smooth from the tears. Hopefully that will help prevent recurrence.

Sasha Kim

7 years ago

This is a great hub and voted up as such ^_^ My silly husband had a scratched cornea and refused to see a doctor about it.. a year and a half later he finally went in because it didn't heal properly and continued to cause him pain (usually after waking up his eyelid would reopen the cut) After several failed attempts to heal it by his eye doc he now has to wear the contacts you leave in 24/7. If only he would have gone in right when it happened!

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

No, I'm not that bad, I knew what was wrong, I just didn't want to wear my glasses at work and the weekend was only 2 days away lmao I got the abrasion from my dog :D (Now deceased)

Zulma Burgos-Dudgeon

7 years agofrom United Kingdom

Oh, SOFT lenses. I see now who you could have tolerated it. I'm not an ideal candidate for soft lenses because of my severe shortsightedness and astigmatism so I tend to forget they exist.

Two pairs of sunglasses? Really? And you thought there was nothing odd about that? Hilarious. :D

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

Indeed!! I also play a janitor, a mistress, and the part of the overbearing mother lmao

Paula

7 years agofrom Beautiful Upstate New York

DOM....FUNNY response!!! Don't we all play NUMEROUS roles "on TV??" lol! If it works for Alec it should work for us!

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

@Paula, I'm definitely not a doctor, but I play one on TV.... lol I just worked for them. I agree, it usually feels like a boulder or large oak tree in there! lol

@Phoenix, the contact lens actually prevents the pain if you can believe that. Soft contacts prevent the lid and oxygen from coming in contact with the nerve endings, which alleviates the pain. If you wear soft contacts while you cut an onion you won't cry because the chemical that mists when you cut the onion won't make it to your cornea past the contact lens. I always wear my contacts when I make dinner lol

As for the sunlight, yes, I still had problems with it, but I wore my sunglasses outside, over a pair of cataract sunglasses lol. After I took the lenses out, the cornea healed in 48 hours. I did indeed get a lecture from the corneal specialist I worked for at the time though....

Zulma Burgos-Dudgeon

7 years agofrom United Kingdom

OMG! The pain is so terrible how could you even bear to put a lens in?! How did you manage to open your eye? And what about the sunlight? I can't imagine anyone with a corneal abrasion capable of this.

Mind you, we all do crazy things when we're young. I just can't understand how you got past the pain aspect of it. My eyes are watering just thinking about it.

Paula

7 years agofrom Beautiful Upstate New York

OUCH! I've had a scratched cornea......I thought there was a whole TREE in my eye.......such irritation and tearing......A big thank you for this valuable medical advice. I did not know you are a Doctor, Daughter......Impressive! Peace and Good times! UP++

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

@Phoenix, indeed you would think a contact lens wouldn't allow enough oxygen to the cornea, but the tear film provides all the nourishment the cornea needs for the brief period the lens is in place and it doesn't affect your depth perception! lol

I've had my fair share as well. I even had one that almost ulcerated (I wouldn't stop wearing my contacts like I was told to... I was young and stupid lol). They are painful SOBs let me tell ya!

Zulma Burgos-Dudgeon

7 years agofrom United Kingdom

I've had my share of abrasions as I wear contact lenses. (Not so much now since switching to gas permeables.) I always got the eye patch and be careful when walking as I had no depth perception. Not that I would do much walking as I was in excruciating pain. I would just lay in a dark room and sleep till the next day.

On the bright side, 99% of the pain would be gone by morning and I'd be all healed up withing 48 hrs.

I've never heard of using a contact lens. I would have thought it would have made it worse.

Great hub. Voted up, useful, interesting and shared.

AUTHOR

Melissa Flagg COA OSC

7 years agofrom Rural Central Florida

Thank you rjsadowski!!

rjsadowski

7 years ago

Your Hub is very thorough and useful to anyone who has ever had a scratched cornea.

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